


time isn't too good at waiting

by superhusbands



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Gen, M/M, The soulmate AU no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-26 09:03:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9878480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superhusbands/pseuds/superhusbands
Summary: simon lewis never wanted to find his soulmate. so of course, it only makes sense that he'd find two.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so this was written for my writing partner / fellow saphael & jasaphael lover daisy aka one of my favorite people && shadowgays. i hope this doesn't suck and you like it.

>  “I DON’T BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT BUT I DO BELIEVE IN SEEING SOMEONE FROM ACROSS THE ROOM AND KNOWING INSTANTLY THAT THEY’RE GOING TO MATTER TO YOU.”
> 
>  
> 
> — [RYAN O'CONNELL](http://thelovejournals.tumblr.com/tagged/ryan-o'connell) (VIA [NAZRPS](http://nazrps.tumblr.com/))
>
>>  

 

"What do you mean, you've met your soulmate?" 

 

It's a valid question to ask. For as long as Simon's known her, Clary has been searching for her soulmate. The mark decorating her wrist had  **burned** for the first time when they were at a club, bodies pressed flush together so tight that it was hard to see where one began and the next ended. She'd been _devastated_ , no real way of knowing who in the crowd was the person she was destined to be with. 

 

Simon thought she was wasting her time. Soulmates, he'd decided, were stupid. 

 

Not because he hadn't found his yet, no, he wasn't  _petty_ , but because he'd witnessed firsthand how wrong the marks could be. His father and mother hadn't been soulmates; the small blue wing on her wrist contrasted against the black curves of his mark, and there'd been no burn when they met. But god, had they ever been happy. Up until the moment his father had passed, he'd never seen two people more in love. When he'd been younger he'd questioned it more than once and his mother would always sit him down, a small smile settled on her features, and push back his hair as she shook her head.

 

  
_"A mark doesn't make someone right for you."_ She'd whispered, her hands tugging at the blankets covering him as she tucked him into bed.  _"Maybe they'll lead you in the right direction, maybe they won't... but don't ever feel **trapped** by the mark, baby." _

 

Her words had stuck with him throughout his entire life and even now, as an adult, he had no desire to seek out his soulmate. Something his friends had never really been able to understand.

 

"What do you mean?" Maureen had asked shortly after their first band gig, brows furrowed as she stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. "You never want to meet them?  _Ever_?"

"Nope," he'd responded, popping the 'p' with his mouth as he shook his head, "I'm good." 

 

"Aren't you worried you'll end up alone?"

 

It was a valid question to ask. It was a common misconception that people who never found their soulmates ended up alone but Simon always had a counter for that. "No. People end up alone because they're  **waiting** for their soulmate. I'm not waiting for anyone. I'm -- I'm just here, being Simon, and if I find someone I like... awesome,  _swell,_ but I'm not going to go around checking wrists trying to find someone I match with." 

 

It didn't matter how many odd looks and curious glances he received.  
He'd made up his mind and he wasn't going to change it. 

 

It didn't hurt that he'd already decided at the tender age of seven that he'd met the girl he was going to marry. Clary Fray was the girl next door, his first best friend, and one of the most genuine and intelligent people he'd ever known. Everywhere they'd gone -- everything they'd done -- it had been done together for as long as he could remember. It was why he'd really believed that soulmate marks couldn't be accurate ; if they were, Clary would have been his. While she had always  **craved** to know who her soulmate is a selfish part of him had been waiting in the wings for her to realize that it didn't matter. That all she needed was what was right in front of her. But time and time again, she never saw him... and now...

 

Now she'd met her soulmate.   
**& &** her name was  _Isabelle_. 

 

"Simon, she's amazing." Clary's voice carried through the phone, her excitement palpable. He didn't need to see her to know that there was a smile stretched across her face as she spoke. "Do you remember Magnus, from Art History last year? He's in my Poli Sci class and I ran into his boyfriend at our study group. He wouldn't stop staring at my wrist," she paused, "and it's because his  _sister_ has the same one. What are the chances?"

 

Slim to none, Simon couldn't help but think, but he kept his comments to himself and hummed noncommittally. 

 

"He gave me her number and I texted her... I don't know what I thought was going to happen but she wanted to meet. We had coffee and Si, it was  **amazing**. She's amazing. I know this is going to sound stupid but..." She trailed off and Simon wondered if maybe the phone had disconnected, pulling it away from his ear as he frowned. Seeing that it was still connected he hummed to prompt her to finish her thought, brows knitting even further as she continued. "From the moment I met her, I knew she was going to be someone really special to me. I just  _knew_." 

 

 

His heart sank. 

As happy as he was for Clary, he couldn't help but feel  _disappointed._

 

Maureen had found her soulmate when she was fourteen in his cousin Eric, a guy whose slam poetry would make even the most illiterate person cringe. But she'd loved it and they'd been together ever since. In his immediate circle of friends it had just been he and Clary who had yet to find their soulmates.... and as  **okay** with that as he'd been, it was a little different being the only one who hadn't found their person. Even if he didn't believe in them. 

 

No one wanted to be the lone survivor.  
Not even Simon. 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Simon had really wanted to hate Isabelle Lightwood.  
Unfortunately, as it would turn out... she was awesome. 

 

When Clary had called him the night before and asked him to meet up with them to go bowling -- or rather, she'd said, his chance to 'interrogate' her soulmate as he saw fit, he'd been half tempted to say no. It had only been three weeks since Clary had met Isabelle and he was honestly still processing it. Maybe it was selfish, or immature, but he was  _jealous_ of Isabelle Lightwood. Jealous of the woman who was lucky enough to have a symbol burned into her wrist that matched that of his best friend.

 

Sure, Simon didn't believe in soulmates.. but that didn't mean he wanted to see the girl of his dreams find hers.   
However, Clary was his best friend and he was saying  _yes_ before he even had a chance to second guess himself. 

 

Three hours and two strings of bowling later, Simon couldn't help but think that the marks had gotten this one right. Isabelle was sharp, witty, and challenged Clary in ways that he hadn't thought were possible. Things weren't even romantic between them yet and you could feel a change in the air, see the way that they looked at each other with softness in their gazes. He almost felt like an outsider, like he was intruding on a moment that should have been reserved for jut them, but then the tides would shift again and he was left wondering if it was all in his head. 

 

Simon had never really witnessed firsthand what it was like to know someone who'd met their soulmate. Sure, Maureen had found hers in Eric when they were younger, but they'd never been close the same way that he and Clary were now. He hadn't watched Maureen's world shift, seen the look of awe in her eyes whenever her gaze settled on her soulmate, and didn't pick up on little mannerisms he'd never noticed before. Isabelle noticed these things. Isabelle caught Clary's eye and sent her a smile that left even  _Simon_ feeling weak in the knees.

 

Clary was screwed.  
And Simon was, oddly enough, really happy for her. 

 

The days faded into weeks and before he knew it, summer was upon them. For as long as he could remember the two of them had gone camping with Luke and Jocelyn for the summer, held up at the cottage that Luke had out on the lake. They'd built a treehouse there when they were kids and even just seeing it would bring a smile to his face. It reminded him of when things were easy, when his life wasn't consumed with thoughts of exams, college, and worst of all -  _soulmates._

Except this year it was different.  
This year, Isabelle was coming with them. Along with her brother, Alec, and his boyfriend Magnus. 

 

Simon had met Alec on several occasions since Clary and Isabelle had gotten together.  
And while he didn't hate Alec, the other man had no patience for him.

Alec was rough around the edges, always seemed like he was  _itching_ for a fight, and was so tall that it made Simon's neck ache just looking at him sometimes. He also  _never_ understood any of his pop culture references and tended to look at him like he'd grown a second head every time he opened his mouth, so, suffice to say they weren't that close. 

Magnus, however, Simon liked.  
He especially liked that he didn't  **have** a soulmark.  **& & **he didn't care. 

* * *

 

 

Being unmarked was rare. 

Simon had read about it in school, that there were people who were born  _without_ a soulmate mark ; people who would never feel the burn the moment they came in contact with the person they were fated to be with. At this time he'd yearned for that kind of disconnect, the freedom that came from  **knowing** that you weren't tethered to the idea of some person you never met, but coming face to face with it he couldn't help but think that it was dangerous. 

You might not have a soul mark, but the person you fall in love with might. 

From what he'd heard from Isabelle, Magnus and Alec were never supposed to be together. They'd met through mutual friends when they were in college and while there had been an attraction, Alec had met his soulmate three months earlier. Her name was Lydia and they were engaged to be married. _The_ _soulmark_ , Isabelle had recounted with a twinkle in her eye,  _hadn't gotten the memo that Alec was gay. **So** very gay. _It had all been quite messy in the end -- Magnus had crashed the wedding, stolen the groom, and left the Lightwood parents horrified and shamed in front of their friends and family. 

 _It's not that he's with a man,_ Isabelle had explained in regards to their parents' reaction,  _it was that he **abandoned** his soulmate for someone unmarked. _

Simon had felt anger and disgust on Alec and Magnus' behalf when he'd heard the story,  **horrified**  that anyone could ever take fault with two people choosing to be together because they  _loved_ each other. Who had even decided that these marks were supposed to  **bind**  you to another person for the rest of your life? As far as Simon was concerned, there was no manual that came along with them. Society had interpreted the marks the way they wanted to and expected everyone to follow along like sheep. 

Well, Simon was no sheep.  
He was going to float along to the beat of his own drum. 

At least, that had been the plan.   
That is, until Magnus and Alec arrived at the cottage for the summer... and they weren't alone. 


	3. Chapter 3

“Wakey wakey!”

Simon couldn’t help but groan as the curtains were pulled wide open and the sunlight streamed in through the windows, hissing under his breath as he pulled the blankets up over his head. It was too early to be awake - especially on a Sunday - and he was going to **kill**  whoever had decided it was time to wake him up just as the sun was starting to rise. He liked a good sunrise as much as the next person but _not_ on the first day off he’d had in two weeks.

This was supposed to be a vacation, not bootcamp. He said as much out loud and was met with a sniff of indignation as the covers pulled back.

“Stop pouting.” Isabelle admonished him as she tugged the sheets away from him, her eyes rolling when he tightened the death grip he had on them. “Honestly, Simon, get up. We’re here to have fun not sleep all day. It’s already half past seven!”

Simon stared at her, jaw slack. “Are you insane?” He blinked, deciding for himself that - yes, she was indeed insane, and yes, she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. _Shit._ “It’s Saturday, Isabelle. As in the day of rest **before**  the day of rest... as in the day that no one gets out of bed before noon.” His voice had raised to a pitched whine as he rolled away from her grabby hands, jumping when she practically pulled him out of bed. “Woah, woah - hey!” he shrank away from her, arms subconsciously wrapping around his bare torso.

When he’d pictured a beautiful girl tugging him out of bed half naked, this wasn’t exactly how he’d seen it going. He didn’t have much time to focus on it though before the door to his bedroom swung open, a gaggle of people pouring through as Simon blinked after them. Had he known that there was going to be a wake up call this early in the morning? Late last night he’d been sprawled out by the fire with Jocelyn and Luke, fully sated from hunger and a little tipsy when they’d been discussing plans for the weekend. It was their first weekend at the cottage for the summer and sure, they usually planned a little something, but that something didn’t usually start at seven o’clock in the morning. Jocelyn and Luke **respected**  his need for sleep. He’d always appreciated that about them.

Apparently the Lightwoods had no such respect for sleep.  
He felt bad for Clary and Magnus.

Speaking of Clary and Magnus, they were among the group that had piled into his bedroom. He shot them a half wave before diving across the bed to find a shirt, scrambling to tug it on as he straightened out his glasses. Without any time to look presentable he was sure he looked a mess but the damage had already been done ; he was no timelord, so there would be no going back in time to actually **remember** any plans they’d made the night before. _Whoops_. 

“I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you didn’t all get turned around on your way to your rooms, and you’re, uh, expecting me to get up?” He asked, not unsurprised when Isabelle delivered a perfunctory roll of her eyes. 

“We’re going on a hike. Seriously, Simon? Less than 12 hours and you already forgot?” Isabelle turned to Clary, exasperation evident on her face. “Is he always like this?”

“Pretty much.” Clary agreed with a shrug of her shoulders. Simon gasped, mock outrage on his face as he scowled. _Et tu, Clary?_

“I resent that.” He grumbled under his breath as he toed his shoes on, looking up when he heard a voice that he didn’t recognize. Behind Jocelyn and Luke, next to Clary and Magnus, was a man that Simon had never met before. He must have arrived sometime that morning -- Isabelle _had_ said that a friend of Magnus’ was coming to stay with them for the weekend. Something about his job being stressful and Magnus having decided that he needed a break... honestly, Simon couldn’t remember. He’d only been half paying attention, trying to **avoid**  feeling like a permanent third wheel amongst all the couples. While he was used to being the odd man out and not being in a relationship didn’t bother him, it had felt different. He couldn’t quite touch on why but he’d been left feeling unsettled and off balance. 

When he thought about it, that feeling still resonated with him.  
He kind of hated it. 

It was only when someone cleared their throat that Simon realized he’d been inadvertently staring at New Guy and he flushed, stammering out an apology as he nearly tripped over his feet in his haste to introduce himself. “Uh, sorry man, I was just - uh, trying to place you. I’m guessing you’re Magnus’ friend?” He extended his hand for the other man to shake, only faltering when the other man looked at his hand as if he’d personally offended him. 

“Friend is a stretch.” The New Guy said cooly -- and Simon was probably going to have to stop referring to him as _New Guy_ in his mind once he figured out who he was -- his gaze oddly intrusive as they locked eyes. Simon couldn’t help but feel like it was ripping through him like a blade, leaving insecurity and doubt in its wake. It was an unsettling feeling.

“This, my dear Sherman, is Raphael.” Magnus piped up as he threw an arm around _Raphael’s_  shoulders, seemingly unaware of how pained Raphael looked to be by the action. _Oh god, I hope he’s not a homophobe,_ Simon thought to himself with a frown, _otherwise this is going to be the longest weekend. Ever._ “Do forgive him... he spends so much time **locked**  in his office that he often forgets how to be pleasant.” 

“I know how to be pleasant, Magnus.” Raphael commented with a scowl, shifting out of Magnus’ embrace. But despite his words there was no heat to them, and Simon could have sworn that he saw the hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth - even if it was just for a split second. “I don’t like small talk. It’s uncomfortable.” Raphael shrugged. “Hence why I like to spend my free time at home,” his eyes narrowed, “alone.” he added on as if an afterthought, the words seeming as if they physically pained him to say them. 

“But you’re here.” Simon blurted out, mentally slapping himself for the absurdity of his statement. Of course Raphael was here, he was stating the obvious. The look of annoyance that flitted across the other man’s face clearly suggested that he thought the same thing. “I mean, you decided to come... so I guess you don’t hate it that much. Or maybe you do, I mean, I just met you.” He rambled on, “I’m Simon, by the way. I -- yeah, you probably figured that out by process of elimination.. since you know everyone else and I’m clearly not Clary.” 

“I gathered.” Raphael replied, that same cool expression settled across his features. Simon wondered if that was his default expression, or if it was a face that he reserved for especially annoying people like him. He didn’t have a chance to find out though because Clary was clapping her hands together, drawing everyone’s attention.

“As much fun as this is, we’re losing sunlight.” She exclaimed, seemingly more excited for hiking than Simon had expected her to be. For as long as he’d known her, she hadn’t exactly been a fitness nap. Most of the time when they’d gone to the gym, they ended up in the spa or at the Panera across the street. 

Judging by the look on Isabelle’s face, he had a feeling that he knew where her newfound love of hiking had come from. He could only hope that it was worth it, and that she wasn’t trying to force herself to be something she wasn’t just to keep up with her soulmate. **& & ** that there wouldn’t be too many early morning hikes in their future.

Simon loved Clary more than anything, there was no denying that.  
But he also loved sleeping and as far as he was concerned, Saturday mornings were reserved for cartoons and waking up without the sound of an alarm blaring in his ear announcing that it was time to get up and go to class. 

But he couldn’t deny her her happiness, not when the smile on her face practically lit up the entire room when Isabelle was around. If that meant getting out of bed early every once and awhile, well, he could probably handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna say I love literally everyone who took the time to comment on this story. I honestly didn't expect anyone to read it so the fact that you guys like it just makes me so ????


	4. Chapter 4

“Look, I know we said we were going on a hike… but do hikes need to be so fast?” Simon was gasping for breath as he struggled to keep up with the Lightwoods and Clary, a hand often coming up to clutch as his side as he tried to keep pace. Or at least, keep the rest of the group within view. He’d already vowed five times over that he was going to start going to the gym again as soon as they were back home. Seriously, this was just embarrassing. It was made even worse given that Alec’s brooding friend,  _ Raphael,  _ was keeping pace with him and barely breaking a sweat. He looked like he was just out for a leisurely stroll with no cares in the world - it was downright insulting. Plus, if he was having no issues hiking up the trail, why even bother hanging back? Unless Clary had put him up to it, wanting to make sure her best friend didn’t end up getting mauled by a bear when he - inevitably - fell behind. 

 

“Do you always complain this much?” Raphael asked as he turned to shoot him a withering stare, stepping over a root sticking out of the ground with so little effort that it made Simon want to scream. Seriously, how was he  _ doing  _ this? He’d stumbled so many times since they’d started their hike that he was surprised he hadn’t ended up face first in the dirt already. If he did fall, at this point, he wasn’t sure if he’d even bother trying to get back up. Maybe they’d air lift him off of the trail and he’d get to spend the rest of the weekend relaxing and  _ not  _ hiking what was starting to feel like the appalachian trail. 

 

“No.” Simon muttered, frowning as he stumbled over yet another stray root. “I mean, maybe, but I don’t usually go hiking. If I want to experience nature, I just download a new environment for the VR.” He paused, frowning when Raphael stared at him like he was speaking another language. “You know, virtual reality? With the,” he gestured to his head, “the head sets that look like goggles you wear when you go swimming?”

 

“I know what VR is.” Raphael replied calmly, another trait that Simon found relatively unnerving about him. He could sound annoyed as all get out yet his face never changed. It was like he was a statue, cool and unmoving, and how an emotion never betrayed him he’d never understand. Not even anger or annoyance flitted across his features. How did he  **do** it? “I find it appalling you consider that,” his lips turned downwards - finally, an emotion twisting his features into a scowl, “ _ experiencing nature.”  _

 

Simon rolled his eyes, ducking to avoid a stray tree branch as he shook his head. “It’s close enough. When you’re unfortunate enough to have pollen allergies, asthma,  _ and  _ your coordination isn’t the best you learn quickly it’s safer to stay inside. Less coughing, less broken bones.” He shrugged. “Less time spent in the ER. Everyone’s happy.” 

 

Raphael didn’t seem to agree. “You’re making excuses. Life is passing you by while you sit inside staring at a computer screen. It’s pathetic.” 

 

“Woah now, buddy.” Simon exclaimed, whirling on the other man as he held up his hand to stop in his tracks. For the first time since he’d met him, the other man seemed shaken. He wasn’t quite sure why, he hadn’t even  _ said  _ anything yet, but he wasn’t about to let a little flicker of emotion stop him in his tracks. “You just met me, you don’t get to call me pathetic. Only  _ I  _ can call me pathetic, because… well, I’m me. Only me gets to diss me, capice?” He took Raphael’s silence as an unspoken apology, trudging forward begrudgingly as he scanned the horizon. While he couldn’t see the rest of their group he could hear noises up ahead, it could only mean that they weren’t that far ahead. And while he wasn’t enjoying this hike, in any way, shape, or form, every step forward he took was a step closer to finishing the whole thing. Baby steps.

 

* * *

 

 

Twenty minutes later, Simon was starting to lose wind. His feet hurt, he was wheezing and clutching his side like a lifeline, and the silence was starting to drive him crazy. He’d tried twice to strike up conversation with Raphael but the man ignored him at every turn. It was infuriating. He might as well have been miles ahead for all the good he was doing. Every minute that the silence stretched on drove his frustration further and further until finally he couldn’t keep quiet anymore, frown settled over his features as he turned towards him. “Seriously? You’re not going to talk to me? Are we five year olds, fighting over who gets the last coo -- “ He never got to finish his sentence because suddenly he was falling, his ankle having gotten caught in a root he hadn’t seen until the last second. He closed his eyes and brought his hands up to protect his face, hoping that the fall wouldn't be as painful as he expected it to be. 

 

A moment passed before he realized two things.   
First, he hadn’t fallen. Second, Raphael had his arms wrapped around his middle, and he was looking at him in a way that Simon couldn’t quite place. Not until he moved and he saw the wince -  _ oh,  _ he was in pain. Oops.

 

“Shit, are you okay?” Simon had to ask, concern painting his features as he reluctantly untangled himself from Raphael’s strong arms. Seriously, the guy had killer biceps… no wonder the hike was easy for him. Or had been, anyway. Judging by the way he was favoring his left ankle, he’d missed whatever had happened when he’d closed his eyes and prepared for death.  _ Oops _ . 

 

“Eres est ú pido?” Raphael grit out through clenched teeth, his eyes glaring daggers at Simon as he spoke. “You dropped your bag when you fell, and I tripped over it.” He followed his line of sight and frowned, coloring sheepishly as he swallowed thickly. Shit, that was his fault. “ Es por eso que elijo no ser una persona agradable. Nunca vale la pena.”

 

Simon didn’t need to speak Spanish to understand what Raphael was saying. Or rather, to get the sentiment behind his words. He’d tried to  _ save _ him - and wow, that was a surprise - and in return he’d probably twisted his ankle. Or worse. Being a nice guy really  **did** suck. And then it hit him… if Raphael couldn’t walk on his ankle, they were in trouble. As swoon worthy as it would be to scoop Raphael up in his arms and carry him to safety, that just wasn’t realistic. Not only did he not have the upper body strength for that but life wasn’t like an episode of the O.C. People didn’t actually do that… did they? 

 

“We’re screwed.” He commented flatly, watching as Raphael winced when he tried to put weight on his foot. If Raphael, the man who’d showed maybe  **three** emotions since he’d met him that morning, was visibly cringing… it was bad. It was ‘we’re never getting out of here alive’ levels of bad. 

 

“How poetic.” Raphael replied dryly, a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. It looked like it physically pained him to speak, though Simon was sure that likely due in part to the company more-so than the pain his ankle. “But sadly, not inaccurate. Unless you have a way to get in contact with the others… we’re stuck until they double back.”   
  


Great. He was stuck in the middle of the wilderness with a guy who looked like he wanted to murder him.  That wasn’t going to end badly. 


End file.
